The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1887-10-28
AT TalMaeE's TABERNACLE.
Interior Deoorsticns---The Opening fr''e''
Tie Preacher and His Preaching

Tho tabernacle has nothing lhpoSlhs
sbouf if Next TO Plymouth II Is one OF
Inc bomelies, church buildings in BROOK
lvn from any external point OF view
Probably 1900 people were patiently
waiting for the iron gates 10 open on sun
dov morning. Some OF them must nave
been Ira the street m hour, and when the
iron gates opened there was rush lot me
unreseryed pews and they were quickly
filled When The services conlnenceu
every seat was occupied. people were
sitting in some Of the aisles, and The space
between the back pews and the wall was
pucked with standing auditors
said something in a former letter
aboui he interior Of the Tabernacle, on
its gold. silver. blue and green Il seen al a
douhle advantage from the balcony tts
decorations would be appropriate FOR any
nleasanf theatre or hall. Two or three
people I'm the balcony. one OF them iaay'
became 20 impressed with the secular
characteristic. ~ the place that they pro
ceoded 10 study morning papers BH'
usher- made descent upon them ana the
paper- were pocketed again. Somebody
tainted and there WIS a slight commoiion,
a half dozen reporter, and stenographerS
fled down an aisle 60 the space before the
nnlpit and "a company Of cadets marched
in "A. the great organ hclched out the hfst
heavy chords Of the opening voluntary.
Then everybody standing sang Praise
God from whom an blessings now, ana
the paStor made The opening prayer Sl"Ia'
ING while the congregation sat am
thus definite because there are scores Of
PRESBYTERIAN churches that wonid pro-
badly consider The sitting posture, rs
praciice di-re.prciiul ID the extreme.
Only two years ago recall III incident IN
a western New York town in which the
minister told his hearers il would be bet
fer for hem 30 stay al home than thus TO
show their weak spiritual condition 70 the
world
After the prayer fhe people, led 10y a
cornet PLAYER, accompanied the thunder OF
the organ song. Hold the Fort ~ Several
thousand people is great chorus whea
everybody sings Then we had 4 cofnet
solo ~ the collection Was taken.
have told you before how the preacher
looks. hut his preaching Is indescribaole.
am sorry that IL is not like that OF any
body else without aul fear Of coniradic.
lion His methods are peculiar but not
fantastic dramatic but NOT sensational as
think Such differences Of opinion exist
about this preacher however, that | want
To- try 10 express how most of his auditor,
regard him.
one of the queer figures Of speech
heard the other day M the Tabernacle was
from the pastor In speaking about the
self righteous grinding away at me
windlass of the dry well Of earthly salts
faction One Of the things heard tha,
pleased everybody and didn't seem to do
any harm was "B0ulangeT's March,
with the use of the great organs bell stop
In the second strain. played Just before
the sermon.
4 free thinking friend OF mine from
Catiaraugus county attended this opening
service with me II tel You, said he,
-if lived here IA never miss that ser
vice. " Yet he said be- hadn been INSIDE
A church for i've years lie was enter
tanned. heard sermon that saint or sin
ner alone could bind meat IN without
wearisome encounters with dOcirnhl mat
tiers, and, since they say anything heard
OBJ seen has an undyng influence, he was
Influenced for good rather than evil ! ann
sure.
by the way, Mr.. Talmage told me one
day that he asked 40 greater recognition
for what he had done than the inscription
OH his tombstone. "Talmage, Popular
Preacher Mcdonald IN Buffalo EN